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Your Guide To Gaming With Bitcoin

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When Bitcoin made its first debut in 2009, not many people took interest – in fact, you could probably count those interested on one hand. Fast forward almost a decade later, and the cryptocurrency is taking the world by storm, allowing FinTech start-ups to interrupt the financial markets and online casinos to create the highly-enjoyable Bitcoin dice sites. Undeniably, one of the most affected industries would be the gaming industry, with Bitcoin not only posing as useful in itself, but the innovative blockchain technology that comes with it too. Here, we’ll take you through Bitcoin’s impact in the gaming industry, and why it has remained popular with several game developers.

Influence On Online Gaming

Simply, after seeing Bitcoin payments being made in our favourite land-based and online casinos, the cryptocurrency seemed like the perfect fit for the gaming industry. The use of Bitcoin within our favourite online games benefits not only the gamer, but the game developers themselves – after all, the fact that gaming sites tripled in number during 2016 certainly wasn’t a mere coincidence. Due to the uniqueness of the digital currency and the potential of its technology, it fits in perfectly with the highly lucrative gaming market, but what benefits does it truly hold for gamers and developers alike?

Transactions Have Never Been Easier

Nothing is worse than seeing a rare item of loot on offer in the gaming stores, yet not being able to obtain it due to the extra transaction fees and strenuous amount of time that you need to wait patiently for in order for that transaction to get verified. Luckily, with Bitcoin, no more are the days of losing grasp of your gaming items or casino winnings. Opposed to fiat currencies, Bitcoin allows you to avoid extra transaction fees, and will grant you instant access to your purchase. With online casinos for example, deposits and withdrawals are almost made instant and, unlike standard online casinos, you won’t need to pay a fee in order to withdraw any winnings – it’s hardly surprising as to why the cryptocurrency is so attractive to gamers!

Benefit Of Remaining Anonymous

Another aspect of Bitcoin that appeals heavily to gamers is the fact that they’re able to remain entirely anonymous when carrying out transactions. As Bitcoin is decentralised, the cash that’s used to pay for items isn’t tied to a central banking authority, meaning that every transaction can be completed to an anonymous level. For gamers, privacy and freedom is considered as highly important, especially when delving into the world of online casinos. There’s no need for forms of ID or utility bill scans that are featured on standard online gaming sites. Instead, gamers can be feel safe knowing that their transactions are kept safe and secure, eliminating the need to put themselves into an unnecessary state of vulnerability.

Blockchain Technology

This is the biggie. Ever since Bitcoin began to make an appearance in the online gaming industry, it has disrupted the traditional companies ever since. Blockchain is renowned for its ability to bring decentralised software to the industry, allowing the consumers themselves to remain in control of their activity and removing the power from governments and centralised authorities. With blockchain technology, gamers are able to have complete control over the transactions they carry out, the rules that they follow and even the in-game currencies that can allow them to break the boundaries and have a more fulfilling gaming experience.

An example of this would be FirstBlood, where gamers are able to challenge the norms by using oracles and smart contracts via blockchain technology, whereas Blockchaing allows players to trade their items digitally by using blockchain outside of the game!

The future of Bitcoin within the online gaming industry remains unclear, but what is certain is the potential that it has to completely streamline our online gaming experience. Clearly, it’s already had a huge impact on the industry, so only time will tell how much more it will do to improve processes in online gaming!

Two Games from the Forgotten Gambling History in Canada

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Gambling as we know it today has multiple origins. Organized gambling – the casino – was invented in Venice in 1638, with the creation of “Il Ridotto”, the first government-owned gambling house in history, but gambling as a form of entertainment itself goes further back. Some say it precedes written history (the first documented form of gambling is a type of lottery used to partially fund the construction of the Great Wall of China). A history of the global gambling phenomenon, however short, would fill a book – so let’s be a bit more specific today, and take a look at Canada’s gambling history and two games that its people have most likely forgotten.

Sticks

Those who think gambling was an activity the colonists brought to the Americas are simply wrong. Stick gambling was present on this land long before their arrival. While it does involve sticks, stick gambling was done using hands – two teams would face each other, and one of them would hide a token known as the “idzi” in their fist. The token is passed back and forth between the holder’s fists while drummers would play and the audience would sing gambling songs. When the leader of the opposing team claps, the singing, and drumming stops, and the player holding the “idzi” shows his fists. The above-mentioned captain uses hand signals to indicate which fist he thinks the “idzi” is hidden inside. If the guess is correct, the player is eliminated, and each player not eliminated receives a counting stick. When all opposing players are eliminated, the “idzi” passes to the other team. Games like this often took days to complete.

Today, stick gambling is no longer a form of “gambling” per se – it is part of the indigenous peoples’ heritage, with the Yukon Territory First Nations in Canada holding stick gambling tournaments each year.

Faro

Before poker became a widespread game in Canada, Faro was the most popular form of gambling in the country, especially during the Yukon Gold Rush. It was a fast-paced, action-packed game with a complex set of rules, yet easy to learn and play. It is a game similar to baccarat and not entirely dissimilar from blackjack, yet it lacks its extreme speed. Part of its popularity was due to the fact that it could admit pretty much any number of players – the only limit was the space around the oval table it was played on.

Faro was widespread in North America during the 1800s but was replaced by poker at the beginning of the 20th century.

Gamers Head Back to Reality and Embrace the Classics

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Cribbage game
“Cribbage” (CC BY 2.0) by Betsssssy

As you may have noticed, we know a thing or two about the attraction of playing a traditional game on this website. There is nothing like sitting down and relaxing with friends or family with cards, dice or dominoes, taking your mind off your troubles and having a bit of fun in the process.

Indeed, while playing games online or on consoles of course remains hugely popular, there does seem to be a rising number of people spending at least a few hours away from the online world in order to relax.

According to a study conducted by The Associated Press and researchers at the University of Chicago, 58 percent of young people aged between 13 and 17 have taken a break from social media with many feeling positive about having time off. Considering this age group is perhaps most commonly associated with using devices like smartphones, it is a finding which shows that the online world maybe does not have as strong a grip on people as many might think.

A human touch

Such trends should not be too surprising, as in many forms of gaming there have been signs for some time now of people wanting a more human touch in terms of how they play. Take online casino websites for example, where games which once used random number generator algorithms have been replaced by “live casino” options in which real-life dealers host games on a video feed. It is not just a niche offering either, with live casinos online like Mr Smith offering a range of games in the format including variations such as Caribbean Stud Poker, French Roulette and Three Card Poker.

Such a shift towards human interaction has also been seen in video gaming, where top franchises like Call of Duty and FIFA are now generally more popular for multiplayer options which connect gamers from around the world rather than their standard single-player modes.

Going offline

flipping playing cards
“Playing Cards” (CC BY 2.0) by ccarlstead

With a growing number of people seemingly wanting a “real” experience from their gaming, it should not perhaps be a major surprise that interest in offline “hobby games” – a catch-all term that covers everything from board, dice and card games – has gone through the roof in recent years.

According to a study compiled by ICv2 last year, sales of such games in the US and Canada reached a stunning $1.4 billion in 2016 with that figure marking a 21 percent rise from the previous year. The trend also appears to be in rude health too, with a range of classics being brought to market either in a traditional or revamped form. For example, an ancient Japanese card game called Panda, which was apparently played in the country up until an invasion by the Chinese, has just been rebooted by entrepreneurs in Dubai.

All in all, it is safe to say that while video and online gaming remain as popular as ever, all of the signs suggest that heading offline to enjoy more traditional games is on the rise too – and we are delighted to hear it.

How to Find the Best Games Online

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How To Find The Best Games Online

Finding the best games online doesn’t have to be a long and tedious process, and there are so many different ways in which you can approach this. Finding the best games can often provide you with the best playing experience, ensuring that you are enjoying every second of your gameplay without the stress of the games freezing or crashing when you’re about to make a big win. Whether you enjoy playing traditional games such as backgammon and dice games, or your preferences lie in the exciting world of online casino UK games, there’s plenty to enjoy across the internet. Here, we’re taking a look at how to find the best games online.

Compare A Number Of Online Sites

The easiest way to find the best games online is to compare a vast number of online gaming sites. There are a number of comparison services online which can do this for you, or you can manually visit each site and play the game variant which you enjoy the most, in order to determine which site offers the best playing experience. Whether you’re looking for bonuses and rewards, a simple interface to play with, or an enticing storyline in your game of choice, the best way to determine which is the best game to play is simply to try them all!

Personal Preference

A key to finding the best games online is actually personal preference. Each individual player will be looking for something in particular when it comes to the games that they enjoy. Whether that’s a streamlined experience, an easy deposit system if they’re looking to gamble, or simply an engaging atmosphere for them to enjoy, there’s so many different personal interests and preferences which can impact whether or not the game is the ‘best’. However, with technology becoming increasingly prominent online, helping to further streamline the experience, more players are opting for online games as opposed to traditional board games in order to get a fast and fun playing experience at all times.

Bonuses & Rewards

Some of the very best games on the internet will feature numerous bonuses and rewards, not only to entice players to play the game, but to simply reward them for their choice. For example, some slot machine games may feature specific bonus features which can guarantee the player with a small (or even an exceptionally large) win, simply for playing! Luck is often the key to these games, however many gaming providers do enjoy providing their loyal players with something extra, to keep them coming back. If you like to have a little extra something when you’re playing online games, then make sure you review all of the different bonuses and rewards that you can obtain when choosing your game.

No matter what your gaming preferences are, you can be certain to find the best games online with a little research. Through this, you will also be able to find the most enticing promotions and sign up offers, in order to ensure you’re getting the most from your gaming experience.

Delving In To The History of Slots Games

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vegas sign

A Short History of Slots Games

The history of slots is not as long as that of other types of gambling games like roulette, blackjack, and such. In fact, poker machines got invented less than 120 years ago, and some might be surprised to learn that they have only been around since the later parts of the 19th century.

Charles Fey, Inventor Extraordinaire

Charles Fey immigrated to the United States of America from Germany, and eventually settled down in San Francisco. He was the owner of a machine shop, but enjoyed inventing things on the side.

In the late 1880s and through to the early 1890s, Fey started designing gambling machines. In 1895 he managed to finish the Liberty Bell machine, the prototype of the pokies online we enjoy today. It made use of three mechanical reels in order to randomise icons.

The Slot Machine is Born

Within a few short years, Fey had marketed the machines to saloons and bars across the San Francisco area, and the locals popularised what they named slot machines, what would eventually be known as pokies in Australia and New Zealand. The games initially paid out small sums of money, but then local and state laws prohibited betting for cash and the machines paid out gums, fruits, and other small items instead.

Slot Machines Head to Las Vegas

Eventually these slots games were banned in California and the rest of the USA, and it wasn’t until 1931 that Nevada legalised casino gambling. The vast desert state had a very sparse population, and leaders were facing a severe revenue shortage. The decision to allow gambling in the hopes of collecting taxes from this activity was intended to help the state remain solvent. The eventual construction of the Hoover Dam saw the area finally beginning to draw the rich and powerful elements from nearby Los Angeles, and the gambling Mecca we know so well today started taking root.

The Post World War II Boom

When the Second World War ended, the USA dove into a time of unparalleled prosperity. The soldiers returning from the front were intent on building families and making fortunes, but they were also interested in finding new, more glamorous ways of relaxing. Thanks to the creation of the interstate highway systems, and jet engines becoming used for aviation purposes, Americans were able to travel in ways they had never managed to before. By the time the 1950s rolled around, Las Vegas had become a gambling destination for not only the wealthiest Americans, but for middle-class vacationers as well.

The Appeal of the Slot Machine

The slot machine in particular appealed to these visitors because the game required no particular level of skill or mastery to play, and win. The 50s and 60s were also a period of history in which mechanical marvels seized the imagination of the common Joe, and so this mechanised entertainment proved a very popular draw card for the Las Vegas casinos.

The Electronic Gaming Machine is Born

In the 1960s the electronic gaming machine’s invention brought along with a veritable wave of innovations that went far beyond the accumulated jackpot. Developers for these games started introducing multiple paylines, bonus games, free spin features and the gamble feature, and the obsession with slots games as we know it today was born. Nowadays you can play slots online and at land based casinos, and even on a smartwatch. The games have changed in so many ways, but in many others they remain just the same.